Nike’s Recyclable Sneakers With Tatty Design Get Likened To ‘Foot Fungus’

Want shoes that look as-new all the time? Don’t get white sneakers, or even the sort you can wash dirt off easily. Get a pre-tattered style that retains its original appeal even after you’ve immersed it in mud and grass.

Although Nike’s ISPA Mindbody kicks were released last year, they’re getting media attention again due to their counterintuitively timeless look. The best way to describe them, with their charred elements and misshapen fit, is post-apocalyptic.

The futuristic footwear was designed by the sportswear giant’s ISPA lab, whose name stands for “Improvise, Scavenge, Protect and Adapt.” This ethos makes it somewhat forgivable for the brand to come up with something a bit more dystopian, Highsnobiety highlighted last year.

Its worn appearance betrays the sneaker’s cushy technology, which makes it extremely comfortable, presumably even after a war with otherworldly invaders. “The inviting and pillowy foam midsole is an oasis of sensations, while its light and airy Flyknit upper… provides a sanctuary you won't want to step away from,” explains Nike. “Bonus: in place of a sockliner, you'll find lofted Flyknit underfoot for a brand-new sensation.”

The crux of the Mindbody is that it is made to be disassembled and recycled, “with product end of life in mind.” Its parts are pieced together with interlocking components, instead of glue, and a single cording system.

All that probably won’t matter if you’d rather walk around in your own well-used footwear as opposed to coughing up US$180 to buy a broken-looking new pair. Admittedly, the ISPA Mindbody isn’t for everyone, and shoppers have made their opinions about it known by renaming it as “Hot Garbage,” “Dumpster Dunks,” “Foot Fungus,” and “Oscar the Grouch 1s.”

But, hey, if it was love at first sight and you gradually change your mind about these shoes, you can simply toss them out at a participating Nike retailer, where the pair will be repurposed through donation or recycling.  

“There’s no need to take them apart or throw them away,” says the brand.

If you need a pop of color while you’re running away from zombies, there’s also a radioactive-esque, equally apocalyptic, ‘Barely Volt’ colorway.

[via New York Post and Firstpost, images via Nike]